'Tastic Tasman!

There will be plenty of feel-good sports stories to look back when New Year's Eve comes along later this year.

One of them has got to be the rise of Tasman Rugby Football Union, i.e. the Makos, as a force in provincial rugby.

In terms of population, Tasman is fighting it out with Southland for the title of smallest provincial union in New Zealand although Tasman could argue that it has just as much rugby heritage as Southland courtesy of its sub-unions Nelson Bays and Marlborough - the first rugby game was of course played in Nelson.

Even so, the top of the South Island has never been a rugby powerhouse in the country even with the amalgamation of Nelson Bays and Marlborough in 2006 to compete in the new professional Air New Zealand Cup. In fact, the marriage was heading for a quick divorce not dissimilar to the ill-fated Central Vikings union of the 1990s, as the global financial crisis along with the tiny population base threatened to end Tasman before it even could get going.

Alas, the New Zealand Rugby Union stepped in to intervene and save Tasman and after years of consolidation in the lower reaches of the provincial rugby, Tasman really came alive when the ITM Cup split into the Premiership and Championship thanks to some great young players who have since gained Super Rugby contracts, i.e. Joe Wheeler, the Marshall brothers, James Lowe, Marty Banks, Shane Christie and Tim Perry.

Tasman's success has not really come down to its academy although James Lowe, Tom and James Marshall and Marty Banks can claim to be local boys, but rather picking up experienced players who can't quite fit into the salary cap of the bigger city provinces, attracted by living in quite a nice part of New Zealand, along with their free, underdog spirit that has seen them win their fight against extinction.

Tasman have always played a very attractive brand of rugby - helped by near-Mediterranean conditions at the top of the South Island in late winter and early spring - and now backed with a good forward pack, they've emerged from Championship strugglers to potential Premiership champions.

In an era of provincial rugby where the provinces have got the wood over the cities, it shouldn't be a surprise to see a side from the countryside ahead of the usual suspects of Canterbury and Auckland. Perhaps, it is a surprise to see a newcomer to the Premiership, a side that a season ago was least expected to be promoted to the Premiership to play the likes of Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato and Wellington in the top flight.

Why wouldn't you want to play your rugby here? 

Alas, that is the story of this fledgling union in a region experiencing economic and population growth - if things continue, the unions will have to convince the Nelson City and Marlborough District Councils to upgrade Trafalgar and Lansdowne Parks respectively to take advantage of the surprise rise of the region as a provincial rugby power.

Even if Tasman don't quite pull off winning the Premiership the season after winning the Championship, they can still call this season the best in their history and hopefully a stepping stone for things to come.

Wellington Are Relegated!

Premier League relegation cheer has hit Wellington

Wellington are officially relegated from the ITM Premiership.

Their fate which had long been coming after an absolutely dire season, was sealed in Napier tonight with a 36-14 defeat that also ensured the Ranfurly Shield would stay in the Bay for a while yet.

Wellington, bereft of confidence all season, were absolutely outclassed by an in-form Hawkes Bay side and there will be huge repercussions from top to bottom as to how one of the country's biggest unions in its third largest city could go from finalists last season to relegation the next.

Oh well, it'll be a bit like the Scottish Championship this season with giants, Hearts, Rangers, Hibernian all in it next season then?

What is Wrong with Wellington?

Make no mistake, the Lions are in a big hole.

With 3 games left in the season, Wellington finds itself rock bottom of the ITM Cup Premiership on 2 points, 7 behind 6th place Counties Manukau who they next play at Pukekohe in what is rugby's version of a relegation six-pointer.

It is an alarming turn of form from last year when the Lions hunted down all asunder and finished top of the table to host the Final, only to lose it again to Canterbury.

Defeat to Counties will likely condemn the Lions to the Championship even if they win their last three games against Taranaki and Championship opposition, Hawkes Bay and North Harbour. Even so, while a win against North Harbour at home in their last game should be a regulation 4 points, Hawkes Bay look like Premiership material this season and with the Shield on the line at home, will be tough to beat especially for a Lions side with zero confidence, and Taranaki are in good form as well and looking to book a top 4 spot.

Perhaps, the signs were there in the off-season when the likes of key playmaker, Lima Sopoaga departed for Southland - the Lions have fielded 5 first-fives in the wake of his departure including seasoned journeymen, Riki Flutey and Willie Ripia. Then, there was Chris Boyd's appointment as head coach of the Hurricanes from 2015 - while Boyd is still head coach of Wellington, preparation for the 2015 Super Rugby season must surely be a big distraction and perhaps Boyd's usually meticulous eyes aren't on the ball this season?

Even so, there is still plenty of talent in this Wellington ITM Cup side with plenty of Super Rugby and even All Blacks experience, e.g. Victor Vito, Ardie Savea, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Shaun Treeby, Jason Woodward, John Schwalger, etc. Many of this side were key to Wellington's rise to the top of the ITM Cup last season too so this sudden loss of form is baffling to see.

Perhaps it is a testament to the competitiveness of all 14 ITM Cup unions that last season's frontrunners are at the back of the pack this season - look at the likes of Tasman who were just promoted last season. At the same time, Counties Manukau, one of the surprise packages last season, are struggling a bit this season.

Indeed, it is a testament to the nature of provincial rugby that perhaps it may not be surprising to see four former heavyweights of provincial rugby in the Championship next season, i.e. Otago, Southland, Manawatu and Wellington.